Tea Room the Ninth: I love rock and roll, put another dime in the juke box baby

[MadBadandDangerousToKnow]

Welome to the ninth incarnation of the tea room. It's been a long and eventful road, from a tea room overlooking a cathedral garden to a beachside cafe, with a diversion via a yurt. Now - voila - we are in a music lounge. We cater for all tastes and, as this is a tea room of requirement, it manages simultaneously to be many things at once. For some, it is a 70s glam rock disco with a cool boho edge - glitter balls, smoke machine and much wearing of platform shoes and eyeliner. For others, a jazz bar where mellow music is played as cocktails are served. For still others, it's a concert performance of Spem In Allium. We still have a garden, with shady parasols for the summer, and a menagerie of pets. Our membership is international.

The tea room has few rules. Everyone is welcome. But anyone visiting with the sole intention of causing hurt or shouting abuse will be ejected by Mellors, the multi-talented gardener-handyman who (it turns out) is also a guitar wizard and rock god.

Please come in.

I am at your disposal, Unis. I also have a white van.

Looks like my second evening of solitary prosecco drinking. Hic.

Pass the bottle then

Here it is. How's your day been?

Good actually - I like August as the customers and sales staff are on holiday, so I can tackle my backlog of things to do in relative peace. I feel all efficient suddenly.

How was Italy ?

It was lovely but, frankly, too darned hot.

Are you taking a summer holiday?

Nah, we have one year left till being tied to school holidays, so are going away the first week of October - but only to Cornwall.

Thinking of UniS moving today, and am lobbing a tupperware and flask in her direction

Am I too late for the tea and cookie?

Good to see you, Amber. Come and relax on the sofa. It is an article of faith in the tea room that it is never too late for tea and cookies. That's why we are so popular with bishops.

I'll just put a pan of soup on the aga for lunch. Fresh Italian tomato and basil (with rosemary focaccia bread) for lunch today, if there are any takers?

The soup sounds lovely.

And how are we all today ? Weather now manky here

How do you know they're Italian tomatoes?? Yes please. I'm fine alive thanks.

I can vouch that they are Italian tomatoes because I brought a crate home from George's organic vegetable garden . His gardener is even more adept than Mellors .

The weather here is in every sense fine and, mercifully, not as hot as Italy . I am well but reeling from culture shock now that I have returned to work.

Soup sounds lovely, ta.

I'm just here for a moan, really. This pregnancy is being a almighty PITA. So far,

On the heels of the swine-flu disaster that was our trip to the UK; comes part 2. I was supposed to being to a conference in San Luis today and tomorrow. Bus ticket bought, hotel reserved etc.
Last night I came down with chronic diarrhea (sp.). There is no way I can make the 4-5 hour trip. So bang goes the bus ticket and more embarasssed apologies from me to the organizers

Last time I refused all invitations to speak onnhe grounds of a high risk pregnancy, but really was not ill until the end and could have goe to all was invited to. This time I accepted these two invitations thinking that the second trimester would be as event free. How wrong was I. I'll be 29 weeks next week and so that's the end of travelling in any case.

Not that I shall be invited anywhere ever again, I will be officially blacklisted, I fear.

Oh dear, Catita. Would one of Mellors' legendary foot rubs and the tea room's special non-intoxicating cocktail be of any consolation?

Here, hope this helps. What a pain in the... well, you know where.
I'd love some soup, please... and the foccacia sounds lovely. I cleaned my house like a madwoman yesterday. For the supreme embarrassing moment of my cleaning day, please see the Household Tips thread...

Oh, Jacksmama! We've still got some soup left over from lunchtime (this being the tea room, the magic pot never empties) but would you like a cocktail or a foot rub from Mellors, to overcome your embarrassment? How well do you know your neighbours? Any chance that they have poor eyesight and didn't notice?

Is it just tea you are serving here? Brandy?? (smiles hopefully).

Welcome, fluffy. It's good to see you here.

We have a very well-stocked drinks cupboard. I'm sure we can find some brandy. What brings you to the speakeasy tea room tonight?

I've just remembered that I should have told ds to ut his book away at 10pm and go to sleep He was still awake and reading!!

I thought I'd say hello. I don't venture this way alot.

Does the late night reading mean you'll get a lie-in tomorrow?

How's the brandy? Cheers!

No chance.

Brandy's hitting the spot. It's been a bad week.

How are you?

Ho-hum. It's my first week back at work after my holiday, so a bit fraught. It's nice to see my colleagues again, though.

Back to work is always tough. The holidays pass far too quickly.

13 year old brandy really has a kick!

Yes, but by next week I'll have come to terms with it.

Glad you like the brandy. I'm more of a champagne, cava and prosecco girl myself (although not necessarily at the same time).